Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Kline Votes Against Job Training, Debt Relief for Veterans

[Disclaimer: This post was first published on Coleen Rowley's campaign weblog.]

More votes where Kline had priorities other than helping veterans. For those keeping track at home, this brings the total so far up to six. But we're not done yet.

1/28/2004, vote #9:Kline Voted Against Helping Reservists And Veterans With Their Debts. In 2004, Kline voted against a proposal that would exempt active-duty, reservists and veterans' families from a means test that was added to the bankruptcy code. Under the bill, most debtors earning above the median income for their region would be required to file under Chapter 13, which entails substantial repayment of unsecured debt, rather than Chapter 7, which requires little or no payment. According to the General Accounting Office, 16,000 active duty personnel filed for personal bankruptcy in 1999 - the most current data available. The exemption proposal was rejected 170-198.

3/2/2005, vote #47:Kline Voted Against Additional Job Assistance to Veterans Returning from Overseas. In 2005, Kline voted against a motion to a job training reauthorization bill to provide extra assistance to veterans who are returning from conflicts overseas. Many veterans returning from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq may need skills and training to obtain or retain their jobs while Reservists who have spent a year or more overseas have put their careers on hold to serve our country. The motion failed, 197-228.

4/14/2005, vote #107:Kline Voted Against Debt Assistance for Returning Guard & Reservists (Again). In 2005, Kline voted against a motion to the 2005 bankruptcy reform bill to exempt members of the National Guard and Reserve from the means test in the bill if their debt was a result of active duty or was incurred within two years of returning home from their service. The 2 years after they return from service are the most difficult. The motion to protect Guard and Reserve volunteers failed, 200-229.